


Zugswang

by amaresu



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-07
Updated: 2009-08-07
Packaged: 2017-10-02 11:26:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaresu/pseuds/amaresu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set post-McKay and Mrs. Miller. Rodney and Jeanie attempt to establish a relationship</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Opening Gambit

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 10_letters

Mer-

The Air Force gave me an email address that I could reach you at. Col. Carter explained that there's a weekly data transfer between Earth and Atlantis so it would be quicker to email then to write. I figured if I left the first step up to you it'd be another four years before I heard anything. I'd like to hear from you Mer. Crazy as it sounds I've missed you.

I've attached some pictures of Madison for you. There's also some of me and Caleb. Madison is starting school in a few weeks. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all the extra time it's going to give me during the day. I'm a bit afraid I might go a little stir crazy.

So feel free to email me back. I'm not sure what you're allowed to talk about.

-Jeanie


	2. Antipositional

Jeanie-

I was going to email you. It's just been busy here lately. Although it usually is so I guess that's not much of an excuse. I'm not good at this whole brother thing. I'm trying really, but I've messed it up before. I'm going to try to do better this time.

Thanks for the pictures of Madison. Teyla gave me some frames to put them in. Ronon thinks she should start training, he mentioned a number of unarmed combat techniques perfect for someone her age. I tried to explain to him that on Earth we don't normally make our children learn how to fight. I don't think he understood though. At least he had that "Earth is weird" look on his face. Still it was better than the time I tried to explain Easter to him. That was a lost cause before I even started.

Zelenka says hi and wants to know if you'll go over some calculations for him. Well, us. I don't think it's necessary really, but he won't shut up about asking you. I've attached the file.

Also it occurred to me that you could use your new found free time to finish your degree. It's just a thought.

-Rodney


	3. Overloaded

Damn it Meredith!

I don't need you telling me what to do with my life. It's my life. I'm happy raising Madison. I'm happy staying at home. I don't need you telling me to go back to school. If you so much as think about giving me one of your lectures on me wasting my life I will hurt you. I don't know how, but I'll find a way.

I've made some corrections to the calculations and added some notes. Caleb also wanted you to have some more pictures and to tell Ronon that Madison is far too young to learn how to kill people.

-Jeanie


	4. Pin

Jeanie-

What the hell? I wasn't telling you that you had to go back to school. I didn't say anything about you wasting your life. You said you were going to have spare time on your hands with Madison in school. I simply thought you could spend some of that time finishing your degree. If you don't want to do that then don't do that. Go take up finger painting or underwater basket weaving for all I care.

Zelenka says thank you for the corrections and claims they've been helpful. Tell Caleb thank you for the pictures. Ronon seems determined to send Madison a set of throwing knives with the Daedalus, so watch out for those in case I can't talk him out of it. I really don't know what his interest in Madison is about and he won't talk about it.

-Rodney


	5. Queening

Mer-

This is the part where I apologize right? I'm sorry. I over reacted. I guess I just assumed that you were judging my lifestyle again. I'm sorry, but I just focused on that for so long when we weren't talking that I guess I just automatically jumped to certain conclusions.

It's funny because Caleb agrees with you. He thinks that I should at least consider finishing my degree. He even brought me a bunch of pamphlets from local universities. He says that I'm way too smart to not think about it. And I will. I'll see how I feel about things once Madison starts school. I'm not sure I have the drive, the ambition, to operate in the academic world anymore though.

Please tell me you were kidding about the knives? She's five years old! Tell Ronon that while I appreciate his interest in Madison I really don't think knives are an appropriate gift. If he really feels like getting her something try and direct him towards toys. There are toys out there right?

Sorry again,

-Jeanie


	6. Post-mortem

Jeanie-

Look, I know it's my fault that we didn't talk for all those years. No, actually, some of that falls on the people who decided to send me to Siberia, but most of it was my fault. I didn't understand then why you would give up your career to go raise a kid. I still don't, but I'm willing to accept it now. As long as you're happy I guess I can be too.

Caleb is trying to get you back in school? Maybe he's not such a bad guy after all. For an English major. I won't mention it again after this, but I just want you to know that I still think it's a waste for you to not get your degree. You're brilliant. Not as brilliant as me obviously, but you're close.

As for Ronon, I managed to get the idea of knives out of his head. Apparently this has all been about some sort of Satedan tradition. It was considered the duty of a sibling to provide at least some of the tools their nephews and nieces would need later in life. Apparently knives were a very traditional gift and since we're the closest thing Ronon has to a family anymore he thought it would be the right thing to do. I got John to help me out and convinced him that there were other, more appropriate, gifts to give to Earth kids. Teyla knew a great market to go to and we found something else. Not just Ronon, we all got some stuff for Madison. I'm not telling you what though, you'll just have to wait. It seemed like a good tradition to carry on.

For a change of pace I'm sending you some pictures. We made sure to avoid any of the classified stuff, so no Stargate or Puddlejumper. Hope you like them.

-Rodney


	7. J'adoube

Mer-

I think I deserve some of the blame for us not talking. We never had the best of relationships did we? I don't blame you for that, not anymore anyway. It was hard growing up with the genius brother who went off to college before I'd reached high school. I never really gave you the chance to change your mind. Sure you went off to Siberia, but I never tried to contact you. After our last fight I figured that you'd either show up for the wedding or you wouldn't and that would be that. You didn't show up and I just assumed that meant you were through with me and that you couldn't respect my decisions. I'm guessing that was not the right assumption to make and that this Siberia thing had something to do with you not showing up. So I think we're both to blame.

I got the pictures. Judging from the numbering sequence on them it looks like one or two might have been kept back by the censors. The rest are great. I don't have any fancy Athosian frames, but we found some decent ones. Madison has claimed a couple to put in her room. She really likes you and keeps asking when you're going to visit again.

I'm really looking forward to the presents you guys sent. Tell Ronon that I'm honored to be considered part of his family. Even if it's just through you. Caleb is just excited to see things from another galaxy, I am too even though I've been to Pegasus. Tell everyone thank you and that we're looking forward to seeing what you got Madison.

-Jeanie


	8. Key Square

Jeanie-

Siberia. I hate that place with a passion reserved only for waiters who put lemons in my water. Long story short is that I got sent there to work on a project. The assignment came about a week after our fight and I wasn't really given any choice in the matter. To be honest though, I'm not sure I would have gone to your wedding even if I'd been able to, and for that I'm sorry. I want to see some wedding pictures the next time I visit.

I'm not surprised that a couple of the pictures were grabbed by the censors. We tried to avoid getting any classified material in them, but this is Atlantis. The entire city is classified. Let Madison know that I'll try and visit sometime soon. Things are hectic here, but when aren't they? The Gate Bridge should be active soon and hopefully I can visit then. You'll have to tell me what to get Madison for a present though.

Speaking of presents we got stuff for you and Caleb as well. It's not just Madison who's getting new toys from the Pegasus galaxy. The Daedalus just left which means you should be getting them within the next month. I hope you like what I got you. I'm not really good at this present thing. Teyla says that it's just because I'm not used to it, and she told me that what I picked out was fine, but I hope you like it. Also nothing should get grabbed by the censors so if not all it is there let me know and I'll yell at some people. We managed to keep Ronon away from weapons too, so no need to worry about that.

Also I've attached some stuff from Radek that he wants you to look at. It's some side project of his that he's stuck on. Try not to encourage him too much?

-Rodney


	9. Takeback

Mer-

Whether you would have come to the wedding or not isn't really the point anymore. I like to think that if you'd had the choice you would have come. We may have gotten into a fight and completely ruined it, but I think you would have shown up. At this point I'm willing to put it all behind us. I say that the slate is wiped clean. Our relationship started all over again when you showed up at my door. I would really like to know the long story of your Siberian assignment. Maybe you can tell me next time you visit?

Madison started school last week. In typical McKay fashion (don't tell Caleb I said that) she loves it. She's going to be just as smart as her Uncle Mer. I haven't gone stir crazy yet, but give me time. I've already started to look at those brochures a bit more closely and I even went and looked at some websites. I'm going to give it a few weeks before I decide anything. I might just decide to take up finger painting instead. The community center is offering painting classes.

Presents for everyone? Even Caleb? Now that you've said that we're even more excited. I can't wait to see what you picked out. I'm sure I'll love it. It's good to hear that Ronon isn't sending my daughter any weapons. Sateda must have been a hard place to grow up, but then I suppose Pegasus is a hard place to grow up. It's sad to think of children learning to fight and kill.

Anyway, I'll give you an update on how school is going for Madison next time I write. We should have gotten the presents by then as well so I'll be able to reassure you that I love whatever you got me. Which I will.

I attached some stuff for Radek. You should listen to him more, I really think he's onto something here.

-Jeanie


	10. Weak Square

Jeanie-

Well, Radek won't be needing those equations as we're back on Earth. It's a long story and everyone is upset about it. You try and do something nice for a person and they turn around and stab you in the back.

God I hate the Ancients.

I've been trying to type this email for over an hour and I just can't type what I need to say. Look, I'll be there tomorrow and tell you what happened in person. My flight gets in in the afternoon and I'll rent a car. It looks like I beat the presents.

-Rodney


End file.
